


The Care and Feeding of a Watson

by Lexigent



Category: Sherlock Holmes - Arthur Conan Doyle
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-07
Updated: 2016-02-07
Packaged: 2018-05-18 19:26:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5940364
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lexigent/pseuds/Lexigent
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What it says on the tin.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Care and Feeding of a Watson

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Small_Hobbit](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Small_Hobbit/gifts).



Chocolateboxcomm  
There are some things about my partnership with Holmes that were unfit for the eyes of the Strand magazine readership, but that I had noted down for my own records, if only to remind myself how truly absurd things could get around the man.

It had been, for want of a better phrase, a bit of a day. We had been traipsing all over the city, Holmes with his long legs striding out in front of me. I am not an unfit man, but unlike Holmes I prefer to stop on the way for food and drink, to refuel for the exertions of long walks. 

Holmes, however, would have none of that. And so we ended up at the other end of Londo , bringing the criminals to justice and then having to wait for the law in the form of Lestrade and his men to arrest them. Traffic being what it was, this took some doing, and by the time they arrived, I was well and truly ready for a good meal and a night's rest.

We took a cab to get us back home and the gentle motions, combined with the solid presence of Holmes beside me did their part in sending me off to sleep. I only awoke when Holmes gently shook me by the shoulder and whispered in my ear, "Come, Watson, come."

I got out of the cab drowsily, nearly falling out of it,but Holmes had his arms around me and caught me. I blinked and straightened up.

"Are you quite alright, my dear fellow?" There was a note of concern in Holmes' voice that I had rarely heard before.

I nodded and made towards the door. Holmes had already rung the bell and Mrs Hudson opened for us. He went up ahead of me and opened the door to our sitting-room for me. I slumped down on the settee and let out a long sigh.

I opened my eyes and found Holmes looking at me with his hawk-like features.  
"My dear Watson," he said softly, "you must rein me in next time. I've used you relentlessly today and didn't even notice."

I leaned forward to met his gaze. There were words in the back of my head but I was too tired to voice them, so I merely nodded. He sat beside me and placed a soft kiss on my forehead, then shouted our housekeeper's name loudly enough to alarm half the street. Mrs Hudson appeared and departed again with instructions to get me some food as quickly as possible.

Holmes sat down with me again and I pulled him down and kissed him on the mouth. He smiled as he pulled back.

"You are a treasure among men, Watson."

There were not many things that could compel Holmes to show his sentimentality in such an open way. I nodded wearily and leaned on his shoulder. Life with Holmes was dangerous in a multitude of ways, but I would not have given it up for the world.


End file.
